Absolutely correct analysis of the issue. Today the UIC called for foreign fighters to assist them, no doubt because Eithiopia is kicking their arses. The US must provide any assistance requested by the Eithiopian Army including backing them with air support if necessary. If the UIC wants holy war then let them taste it in their flesh. Several fuel-air explosions over Mogadishu as well as attacking the UIC's food supply as an appertif would let the Somalis know of the terrible fate that awaits them.

Well said. I have nothing to add to Bashir Goth's well articulated argument against the fanatics in Mogadishu.

It is sad, though, the west seems to be complicent in the face of a serious threat from Somalia's fundamentalist group known as UIC. In fact, western media is minimizing the terrorist nature of the Islamic Courts to the bemusement of Ethiopians who were victims of UIC's terrorist outrage in the 1990s.

This seems to be bad propaganda. As far as it was known, the "Islamic" governement was the first gouvernement that did really gouvern in Somalia. Influenced by Usama, so what? Why should anybody care about this detail?

Goth sympathises with the imagined concerns of ethiopia but the fighting is occuring inside undisputed Somali territory hence the Somalis have a right and duty to defend their country. As for the polemic of comparing Sheikh Hassan Dahir Aweys to Hitler why doesn't Goth call for the arrest of Louis Michele the Humanitarian coordinator for the EU who met and had lunch with the Sheikh? Also, add the UN Secretary General's special envoy to Somalia Mr. Francois Fall who not only met the Sheikh but actually joined in prayer at the mosque in Mogadishu.

If Goth was an Ethiopian his writing would have been that of a Ethiopian Nationalist but given that he is a Somalia there is only one word that describes him appropriately - traitor.

Zenawi is scared of the Islamic movement because he has first hand experience that a ragtag rebel movement could defeat a powerful government's military. He was the rebel leader of the TPLF which was the junior partner of the EPLF and they took on the mighty Ethiopian army and managed to defeat them leading to Mr. Zenawi becoming the head of state of Ethiopia. The Amharas who ruled Ethiopia at that time for decades are about 15% of the Ethiopian population. Mr. Zenawi is from Tigray and they make up only 3 to 4% of the population of Ethiopia.

The comparisons to Afghanistan are tired but a more accurate comparison is Iraq which was invaded just as Somalia is today and the Ethiopians who are far poorer and less powerful than the US do not stand a chance.

Why aren't Americans being informed about this dangerous movement? Is our government waiting for another 9-11?

Good Observation . I 100% agree with your analysis

'beheading people for not praying fives times a day'..Come on!
This article is biased and not worth a reading...unless you happen to be a neocon ready to unleash the mighty power of the states.

This comment is for faryal, the person who denies the extremist nature of ICU. Read and learn.

WND GLOBAL JIHAD
Somali Islamist militiamen
raid wedding, beat woman
20 gunmen enforcing Sharia law confiscate
instruments from band playing 'satanic' music
Posted: July 8, 2006
6:50 p.m. Eastern

© 2006 WorldNetDaily.com

Days after a leading Somali cleric declared the death penalty for Muslims who failed to pray five times a day, militiamen loyal to the Islamic court cracked down on band music by raiding a wedding party in Mogadishu, confiscating instruments and beating a woman.

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=50980

Is this our problem? Mr. Reid says Iraq is not our problem. Are we advocating US involvement to enforce embargoes or maybe the possibility of military action? What could they possible do to the US from Somailia? The UN should talk this to death. Maybe they can impose useless sanctions like they did on Iran.The UN has not teath to enforce anything because it is a corrupt organization. The analysis is correct but good luck getting any action from the defeatist agenda of a Democratic congress. The attitude is to let the UN mess it up and wait long enough for some other adminstration to have to deal with the problem. We can bury our heads in the sand and in 10 years have a bigger mess just like Iraq.

It is scary. This world getting more dangerous by the day.

Bashir Goth,

First, you need to state your ethnic/national identity so that there is no hint of a conflict of interest in what you wrote. Are you or were you an Ethiopian, A Somalian, an Ethiopian of Somali background or other?

Second, the American troops dropped food aid to Somali flood victims not out of pure generosity but as part of their calculated and synical strategy of "fighting terrorism". Worse, they dropped food from the air while, at the same time, training, arming and financing the Ethiopian army that is commiting mass murder of ethnic Somalis in the Ethiopian region of Ogaden and in Somalia proper.

It would be good if the naive American readers got these and other conveniently overlooked facts about the ploy of Bush administration in the Horn of Africa!

Wario

I am a living witness as to the terrorist nature of Islamic court union leader, shek Dahir Aweys, who was the leader of Another terrorist group by the name Al ittand Al Islamiya. This terrorist organization was destroyed by the Ethiopian Army in the year 1996. Al Ittad was carrying out various terrorist activities in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and also in the Eastern Ethiopia city of Dire Dawa before it was destroyed in 1996. When I was in Ethiopia I used to work for a privately owned building materials store. The owner of this store was killed by bomb planted by Al Ittad Al Islamiya in the Wabi Shebelle hotel reception room. So for any one who doubts the terrorist nature of ICU, this is one example of terrorist activity that was carried out by the order of Shek Dahir Aweys

Dec.23/06
Thank you Mr.Bashir,
I am one victims of this Islamists, but now I like to see them ruling stopid, ignorant Somali masses, because Somalis
cam mot be convezed anything bad, unless they touch and feel
the pain. let them rule Mogadishu till they honeymoon end and
they hate as Siad Barre. never let them spread to other regions of Puntaland and Baydhabo.
I agree you when you say they eliminate whole Somali calture
and music. I worned personally before even Siad Barre was there and movement of Akhwan Muslimin and Wahabi was its starting perid in Somalia. now you are talking. very late

The somalis have proved repeatedly over the years that they are savages. I don't see why we should be overly concerned with what goes on in Somalia as long as it doesn't hurt the west. If they start exporting terror the west should level what's left of somalia.

As Ethiopia goes, so goes all of Africa, and so goes all western civilization. The bloodlust will begin when Christian Ethipoia
becomes part of the new Islamic caliphate and will snowball with each country conquered. Soon our new Iraq will be in Detroit. Laugh if you want, you sleeping fools.

First of all thank you Mr Bashir Goth for being a brave man. Because you have opened my eyes and many people like me will admire you for being a brave man. Please do not stopp to fight these evil people so called fendamentalists. I am sure if there are few more people like you in this world they will never win and they will not bring anymore pain and sufferage to millions of us. I want you to be careful because these evils do not have a thinking brain like you so stay safe and go ahead to light the truth.

sources Washinton Post

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia -- War or no war with Somalia, Mulunesh Abebayhu wants out. Out of her teaching job, where Ethiopian security forces constantly harass her because of her political views. Out of this city, where hundreds of protesters were killed by police bullets after disputed elections last year. And, if she can manage, out of this country that she believes has plunged into the abyss of dictatorship at the hands of its prime minister, Meles Zenawi, a staunch ally of the United States in the vulnerable Horn of Africa.

"He confuses the Westerners so that he can keep ruling," said Abebayhu, 54, an opposition member arrested along with an estimated 30,000 others in the sweeping post-election crackdown last year. "Our party does not believe in this war. Our priority is to eradicate poverty, not go to war. Meles knows this war is a way for his system to survive."

In particular, opponents of war say he is playing up the claim that there are al-Qaeda operatives within the Islamic Courts in order to maintain the support of the U.S. government, which relies on a steady flow of Ethiopian intelligence that some regional analysts say is of dubious value.

A recent attempt by Congress to sanction the Ethiopian government for widespread human rights violations failed after former Republican House leader Richard K. Armey (R-Tex.), lobbying on behalf of the Ethiopian government, argued that the United States needs Ethiopia in order to fight terrorism.

"We don't know why the Americans let them get away with it," said Abebayhu, who was denied her request for a U.S. visa and who said she receives death threats regularly.

Meanwhile, Meles has become so disliked in the city that people compare him unfavorably to the former dictator known as "the Butcher of Addis Ababa," Mengistu Haile Mariam, who was convicted last week of genocide after a trial lasting 12 years.

Around Victory Square, one of many roundabouts in this city of a thousand cafes and tin-patch markets, passersby offered opinions similar to that of Nemera Bersisa, 35, a record-keeper on his way home from work.

"I believe the Dergue regime is better than this one, even if they killed people," he said, referring to Mengistu's rule. "This regime is democratic only in words. They kill people without any law, and they arrest people without a reason. This government is trying to stay in power by using different mechanisms, like claiming the Somalis are invading. But this is not the case. Meles is trying to externalize his problems."

And those problems are vast.

After 12 years in power, Meles presides over a nation that still does not produce enough food to feed its own people, relying on the U.N. World Food Program to supplement struggling farmers. The number of people infected with HIV is rising every year: At least 500,000 Ethiopians are living with the virus now, according to government figures. At least half of the population lives on less than $1 a day, which is not enough to buy a single meal.

A smattering of new skyscrapers have gone up in Addis Ababa lately, and in recent years, the gaudy Sheraton Hotel was built, a fortified palace of marble and brass and $100 Scotch set amid a rusting neighborhood of leaning, one-room shacks. Locals call it Paradise in Hell.

Last year's elections began with high hopes and degenerated into a bloodbath. Opposition groups, who made significant gains but did not win a majority according to the national election board, accused the government of rigging the tally and flooded the streets to challenge the results. During the rallies in May and November last year, unarmed protesters were sprayed with bullets while others were hunted down, killed inside their homes and in their gardens, in front of children and neighbors.

Though the official government report released in October listed 197 demonstrators killed, some members of the government's own commission and human rights groups have estimated that the number could be as high as 600. Seven police officers were killed

Mr. Goth has given us a thorough analysis of what will happen inside Somalia and its neighbors if this dangerous movement comes to power. It is an extrimist movement which is not good for the people of Somalia and the region as a whole and it has to be stopped. I don't know why our government (the US government)didn't take action against this dangerous extrimist movement and nipped it in the bud. Not only the US and Ethiopia but the whole world should take decisive action against this cancer and stop it before it spreads to the head of the horn.

It is also clear that Eritrea is arming the Islamic movement not because it likes extrimist Islam but only to open a war front in the East and divert Ethiopia's attention from development. The mad man of Asmara has no goal other than to see a disturbed and weakened Ethiopia. In collaboration with Egypt, the Eritrean mad man got this oppportunity to organize what they jointly call "a grassroot movement" as their agent to fight Ethiopia. The Ethiopian government has done a superb job of helping the internationally recognized TFG and it has the duty to quash the movement before it gets stronger. My message to the Ethiopian oppostion is don't be sell outs and stand in solidarity with the government because what comes first is the country. One should understand that Egypt, Shabiay, Al-Itahad, OLF, ONLF, IFLO, didn't swear oath to bring about development and democracy in Ethiopia. All are there for one and only one goal, i.e. to destroy Ethiopia and bring chaos there. Each actor sees mess in Ethiopia from its own interest. Egypt see it from its use of the Nile and Shabiya wants pereferably weak, if not dismembered Ethiopia. ONLF wants a separate state, the Ogaden region and of course, OLF wants to "Liberate Oromia". IFLO is like UIC; it wants an Islamic Oromo Land, nothing less. Thus the alliance we see in and around Mogadishu is not an advocate of development and democracy in Ethiopia; rather it is anti-Ethiopian force. First thing first, UIC has to be defeated decisively and then we have to turn our attention to Eritrea. Actually Eritrea is on the path of self-distruction. We don't have to disturb this path by starting war with Shabiya but make life difficult for Issayas in different ways. Fortunately, EPRDF saw the danger but if the oppostion fails to see that same danger, it makes them all the more the servant of useless Shabiya.

Somali Islamic court should be confronted with strong power before they get strong.
They are a cancer of the horn of Africa if they get chance they may make horn of africa as middle east. It is not time to seat and look. If we give them deaf ear and blind ayes we will pay it. It is not war of TPLF it is a war of peace and stabilization. So I see most of Ethiopian are bystanders and against for war .Every responsible person knows war is grim and distractive, but if some one coming with sword we can not fold our hand and wait them. We will attack them before they cross our boarder. Their land will be the land of war not Ethiopia. I do not support the gov, but when it comes to the "greater Somali" I will stand with Ethiopian gov. We can't repeat the history. We learned from our old mistakes enough is enough. Our political difference can not make as wrong decision " kebero yebre kolete yewadekale bela steketle walach" when we oppose should be based on reason and solution not by hate and looking for opportunity. Do you support the greater Somalia?

Bashir's article is an eye opener for me. I believe the secular Somali government needs to be supported in every way. Diplomatically, militarily and economially, the west should assist TFG ASAP.

Bashir's analysis is one of the very few intelligent analyses made on this topic. I would like to thank Washington Post for publishing such informative analysis.

It is a pity that the US government is waiting for another Taliban state to emerge and probably get stuck into another costly war when it is possible to destroy it at infancy. It is prudent for the US to support Ethiopia who cleverly recognized the danger in these group called UIC (actually the exteremist wing of UIC) to the whole horn of Africa region. More disturbing is US money is being used to support the UIC via Egypt, Saudi Arabia and etc (See UN report) who are the highest receipients of US aid or oil trade money.

go to hell

Ethiopia is an ancient nation where Christiantity Islam and Judism introduced before any nation in our planet. The three religions co-existed in harmony for centuaries with the exception of Gragn Mohammed invasion and Queen judith coup deta. It is really sad how Awes the notorious Siad Bare Colonel painted Ethiopia and declare Jihad. The action of the current governmebt of Ethiopia should be supported because it will shortened the live of the terrorists who want to put the whole horn of Africa region to endless blood shade and satisfy thir thrist for the blood of innocents.

One question for Mr. Bashir. Where have you been when the so called WARLORDS who had the 100% support from the Ethiopian ruler playing devide and rule and supplying all the weapons they wanted and were holding the rest of us Hostage?
For the Islamic Courts, they brought to us "reer Xamar" Somalis LAW and ORDER so for simple I don't care what you write about them " Islamic courts" I am for whatever means to enjoy LAW and ORDER.

The west is sleeping. While Col. Awey the brutal defamer of Islam is unleashing his cruelty. Keep on sleeping and lose christian Ethiopia, Africa, and western civilization. This are dangerous terrorists tied to Alkaeda who will never tire to work for the evil terrorist groups and they are also funded by them.

Mr. writer, i seen things you afraid of the muslim gov't not to rule the somali land, but which is not fair.while the other part of somalia people in drought and clane fighting. somali land was building infrastructurs and health sectors for northern somalia (italian colony land), so in my point of view you are trying to separate or divided the unity of somalian people which is well known in one religion and one language and cultured .it is not bad to stand for somali land but unity is always strength think abroad you will achieve it.and don't forget the Ethiopian mission is against our holly qurAn, if you are muslim and follow the rule of allah you never aside with christians "o ye who believe!take not the jews and christians for friends,they are friends one to another.he among you who taketh them for friends is (one)of them." (surah5:51)
and finally " slay them wherever ye'find them,and drive them out of the places whence they drove you out". (surah2:291)

Accepting or stopping the Islamists is a task to be left to the Somalis. As you said, I don't accept the imposition of religion on people but if the Somalis are against that, they should say so and it is not Ethiopia's or any other country's business to go into Somalia and wage war. The Ethiopian people have no problem with the Islamists and it is only the tyrant government that is meddling in Somalia's affairs. The reason is one and only one: the government wants to establish a puppet government in Somalia that helps it fight agaist Ethiopia's opposition parties, which are struggling to achieve democracy for their suffering people.

Religion is the apotheosis of the expression of freedom. It is not something that is shoved down peoples' throats by certain extremist imprudents of religious faction. If you've read the analysis and are still not convinced that the UIC is encroaching on Somalians' freedom, then go back and reread the analysis, and are still not convinced, then consider your religion. Not all Somalians feel the need to pray five times and day and if they mess up are willing to be beheaded. This Islamic group is clearly a threat to the unalienable rights that all Somalians are born to enjoy. No matter what your religious affiliation is, if you are a person of common principles, then you have automatically qualified to support any group that is trying to stop Taliban's extension in the horn of Africa, UIC.

melaku..as i understand your name, you are a christian and part of the invader of the musilim coutry, why you given your rubbish lecture for musilim ? you better study your bible and practice it first, instead of lecturing muslim principle and ideologies.

Fellows think this is a global issue and there must be a global response.

I suspect Bashir is right, just for the sake of the Somali people's basic rights. Does any body think totalitarian in the name of Islam with brutal laws like that of talaban for children and women of Somalia be acceptable? Do you think just before being a government the UIC declaring Ogden in Ethiopia and parts of Kenny as Somali, you think this type of government sustain any length. Don't they have to wait a little bit and present their case to the international community?

I can't see any future for them being a long lasting government even if they win any war, even if they defeat Ethiopia and Kenya. Their doctrine and philosophy of a government is out right pervert and by itself it is a recipe for destruction. Bashir don't worry, the gallant and brave children of Somalia will soon understand what these perverts are up to and will defend their ALLAH/GOD given rights to live in peace.

These pervert anarchists may create some inconvenience as they did to Somali for the
past 15 years, in the horn of Africa but, there is no doubt that peace and democracy loving of this planet will prevail at the end. I apologize to the readers and it is sad that, I have used some profanity words, due to the lack of words to describe these useless perverts.

I am an Ethiopian, wrote this response after reading some of the comments.

Ismael, from your name you are a muslim, a follower of slave cult that is in conflict with Christians, Jews, Animists, Buddhists, atheists, communists, Hindus, and the disinterested. Sooner or later the ground will burn beneath your feet. You will get you wish to return to the 8th century, however it will not be spiritually but materially. Your time is coming.

I totally agree with Mr. Goth because I was born in Mogadishu and I cannot even imagine going back there right now. One of the reasons I cannot go back is because these extremists are claiming they will rule SOmalia by the Qur'an, while one of the top leaders of the so called courts is a notorious drug dealer, who used use slave-like tactics by imposing people in the Middle Shabelle to do the Drug farms and then buying weopons from the profit of the drugs he sold to outsiders. Can you imagine this devil and his companions,who are now in charge of Mogadishu are closing down schools and shipping untrained children to the front lines of Baido. THey are using these innocent children and they are preaching this is "Jihad" against Ethiopians. THis is total lie because Ethiopia and Kenya Welcomed our somali refugee during the 90's when the civil war was going and they showed humanity to our fleeing civilians. Our neighboring countries are our brother and they deserve to live peacefully in the Horn of Africa.
One more thing I want to remind everyone is the biggest reason the so called courts are against the government is that these devils are occupying homes and government buildings and they know if the government comes to Mogadishu, they have to empty all the houses and the government properties they now enjoy. THese are blood suckers! They now open the doors for those who employ the worst violence possible (suicide bombs), never did it happen in the History of SOmalia. SOmalis are peaceful loving civilians and they need the international community help by helping the federal government, who are the ones who can bring stability to the country. Otherwise, the terror will not stay in the shores of Somalia only but the whole region and then it will spread to the rest of the WOrld. Specially, I urge the US to do more on helping the government of SOmalia to curb these these devils (the courts), before they expand their savageness.
THanks again Mr. Goth for this topic and please write more about this situation. Because We all know what the So called Courts are Preaching is not Islam but Savageness.
A Somalian Born Girl, who studied and lives in the US.

Those who seem to be Somalis by the name they go. I know that you are just like the BBC Anchor, who is affiliated with top leaders of so called courts. Since you are supporting and intimidating those who tell the truth, since when did the leaders of the so called "courts" were practicing what really Islam teaches? Can you tell me why the courts didn't clean up Mogadishu first by 1) giving back all the property and wealthy that they robbed from the innocent civilians during the civil war in the early 90's when Barre Regime collapsed? 2)My other question is why all the top leaders are from the same lineage: Ayr, who are claiming they are teaching Islam, when they are still enjoying the wealth and the property they robbed from the civilians who left Mogadishu during the 90's. We all know that these top AYR Clan leaders are from Small town called Galgudud in the Central Somalia, 3) why are they In Mogadishu and the Lower and Middle Shabelle Slaving the Bantus and The Barawe (Minorities), who they slave for farming and subjugate. We all know what the agendas of these top three AYR leaders (INdha Adde, Aways, AbdiQasim(former President in 2000), and the Terrorist Hashi Ayrow), to Subjugate and Slave the rest of Somalis. We all know Somalis are strong and these evils will not win. These Ayr Leader (Aways and Ayrow) are part of the list of top terrorists and soon or later they will be caught.
Then what? A peaceful Somalia by the Grace of Allah
Ilwaad

I AM PROUD ETHIOPIAN MUSLIM .I DONOT SEE WHY THIS PAPER EDITOR TELL THE WORLD TO GET INVO;VE IN INERNAL AFFAIR OF ANOTHER COUNTRY.BUT THE SAME EDITORS WILL NEVER DO THE SAME TO ISREAL .WE KNOW WHY,,,,,,,,,,,,MOST WRITERS AND EDITORS AND THE PAPER.S OWNER ARE JEWS.I HAVE READ THIS PAPER FOR OVER 10 YEAR WHILE LIVING IN DC AREA .I AM SPEAKING FROM EXIPRIANS.I AM NOT AFRAID OF THE SOMALIS AS AN ETHIOPIAN BUT AFRAID OF THE ETHIOPIAN GOVERMENT AND YOUR PAPER EDITORS NEVER MENTION ETHIOPIA IS OVER 45 PERSENT MUSLIM

Mr. Bashir's rhetoric is sad and dangerous. He is adding fuel to the fire and is not in any way helping Ethiopia. This may have been written by the Ethiopian leader Meles Zenawi himself, who when he was rejected by Ethiopians at am election, is trying to take the whole country down with him, consumed in a fire created by regligious wars.

Trying to connect Ethiopian history of Christianity with the crimes of Bin Laden on 9/11 is only aimed to secure American support for a discredited regime in Ethiopia. It is not helpful for the 70 million people of Ethiopia who have lived with the Moslems around them as neigbors, friends, relative, etc. for millenia.

President Bush will not be there for Ethiopia when the nation will be attacked by Petro Dollar. It won't take billions to destroy Ethiopia by petro dollar. A few hundred millions provided by the Sheiks and Arab oli millionaires is enough. The US Congress would not care a hoot if Ethiopia goes up or down. Even now the US is acting as if it is not sending Meles as a proxy, when in actual fact Meles is merely acting as Bush's henchman in the region.

Sad Mr. Bashir. I know this is not your real name. Your name may be Meles, Bereket Simon, or Asgedom, or Hagos. But for people who don't know you, you might appear as advocating truth!! You are just another big liar. And you are doing a big damage to the poor and helpless people of Ethiopia who have to pay the real price for your satanic propaganda. I hope truth emerges and your false prophecy is proven wrong.

Dear editors

Watch out Bashir Goth is another pseduoname for the prime minister of Etiopia, Mr. Zenawi. This Zenawi is a proved lair and deciever.

Thank you Bashir

There is no doubt in my mind that these terrorists- the Jihadists- will face a humiliating and catastrophic defeat on the hands of the gallant and mighty army of Ethiopia. No one will be able to save these cockroaches from the wraths of the heroic forces of Ethiopia. Not even the do-nothing garbage- the Arab league or Shabia will be able to save the terrorists. The mighty army of Ethiopia can also give an everlasting lesson to the nannies of the Jihadists: Libya, Egypt and Saudi Arabia. These thuggish cockroaches will soon crumble like Hitler or Mosolonie.

Some analysts imply that terrorists could be tamed by being nice to them or giving in to their damands. If USA declared war on terror and followed up on it with the same intesity as it has been doing since 9/11 immediately after they attacked the African embassies, 9/11 could have been avoided. If the international community wants to avert a possible future breeding ground of terrorism, it should act now. US should give every military support to Ethiopia right now. Take out the the air ports, blockade the sea ports, and bomb the residences of the top terrorists in somalia. Otherwise, they are going to unleash havoc. Sanction the Eritrean leader who is sponsoring terrorism, as well.

I don't like to get into tribes but Ilwaad is misinforming the readers of this blog. Yes Sheikh Hassan Dahir Aweys, Yusuf Indhacade and Ayrow are of the clan he mentioned Ayr but the top leader of the Islamic courts the Amir-ul muminiin Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed is Abgal, his deputy Sheikh Abdirahaman Janaqow is Murusade, Sheikh Hassan Turki is Ogaaden, The Head of the Jubba Regions is Ogaden. The islamic courts are supported by over 70 members of the parliament who are living in Mogadishu and are not of the Ayr clan. The lead negotiators for the Islamic courts are Shiikhaal and Sacad. The minister of finance is Abgal. These Americans do not know all these facts and cannot even understand them therefore it is easy to fool them into thinking the Islamic courts has a narrow base in one Somali clan. But they were also falsely led into the Iraq with claims that everybody will welcome the foreign invading armies (US and UK) with flowers and rice. We now know how futile it is to listen to exiled agents.

One of the reasons the Islamic courts are very popular in Mogadishu is how just they have been in applying law and order there. Properties that the warlords the West called secular leaders gave to their followers have now been return to their rightful owners even if they no longer reside in Mogadishu. It was the warlords such as Mohamed Dheere and Hussein Aidid who robbed property and had checkpoints for extortion purposes all over Mogadishu. All those warlords are now in Baidoa or Ethiopia so please do not tell people that the Ethiopians and their stooges are bringing democracy and justice to Somalia. Doctor heal thyself! Zenawi should first honor the results of the elections, release all the political prisoners and step down so that democracy can flourish in Ethiopia.

This writer is really misinforming the world. The facts remains in the past 16 years, the current Ethiopian Prime Minister was providing arms to all of the Somali warlords to make sure they continue killing each other and also to subjugate the Somali people. Even US is reported to have provided funds to these warlords.

The another reason this current Ethiopian Prime Minister was providing arms to all of the Somali warlords was to make sure no viable Somali state emerges.

In the above background, the Islamic Courts Union emerged and took on the warlords despite Ethiopia and US support. The UIC has managed to drive out the warlords in South and Central Somalia and also restored law and order. It is in this background that this current Ethiopian Prime Minister has decided to invade Somalia with the support of the USA.

We, the people of Somalia, have these two questions for the rest of world: 1) Where was the world when the warlords were massacaring our people and raping our women in the streets in the past 16 years? 2) Why do you insist to impose a goverment on us that is created by our enemy, the current Ethiopian Prime Minister, when we are taking our destiny into our own hands?

We, the Somali people, will resist any foreign invasion and every drop of our blood will be shed to make sure that we librate our country from TPLF army.

...and the Tooth Fairy should leave coins under all f the little children's pillows, too. Cut the garbage. The United States has flat out NO ABILITY to effect what is happening anywhere in the world today and for at least the next decade. Bush and Cheney and the lunatics surrounding them have have not simply over extended our military, they have wrecked our economy, decimatd our standing in the world community, and their trade policies (coupled with the outrageous excesses of Wall Street) have rendered us technologically impotent. All of our most sensative technologies have been shipped to India and China. American engineers have been sacrificed by these parasites who troll the world, looking for the cheapest labor costs and bargain our latest and best technologies for increased quarterly dividends and multimillion dollar bonuses. It is problematic that we will even survive this President, so please spare us any future adventures. All they will accomplish is to make it certain that we will not survive. Somolia may be awful, North Korea certainly is dangerous, Iran may well mean increasingly sphisticated weapons in the hands of terrorists, and a resurgent and dictitorial Russia is a real danger to Europe. But we can do nothing. The idiot voters elected an even graver danger than all of these as President.

Mr Bashir Goth is a smart and educated man so do not attack him for telling us the truth.
In addition please let us try to talk the facts when we say things for example Mohamed Hussein from Mogadishu has said the Amhara people in ethiopia are 15% of the population that is a completely false because as an Ethiopian I know that the Amharas are over 33% of the population of Ethiopia, even though I am not an Amhara I know who and what lives in my country. For instance from the 13 provinces of ethiopia the provinces of Gunder, Gojam and Wolo are fully populated by Amhara ethnic people the remaining 9 provinces have the population from every trive except Tigrea. It is a known fact more than 3/4th of Shuwa province and the majority of Addis Ababa residents are Amhara so why Mr Mogadishu man wants to tell us the false information, it is also a fact that many other parts of Ethiopia provinces have many Amhara people so where did he get this Mohamed Hussein thing from Mogadishu his big lie. Mr Mogadishu man has to learn history before he talks the false information he learned from OLF and Shabia that Amhara people were not the single ruling party in Ethiopia most of the time even if we take as an example for the last 40 years starting from Meles if we go back we will find that many leaders were from other tribes it does not mean if someone speaks Amharic the leader of Ethiopia is an Amhara for instance Meles is a Tigrean before him Mengistu was his mother's side Amhara and his father's side Oromo, Mengistu himself has said this so I am not creating out of the blue. Before Mengistu the Ethiopian leader was a full Oromo blooded man his name was General Teferi Bante, before him General Aman Michael Amindom from Eritrea. Plus before those above leaders I mentioned so many past Ethiopian leaders were not always full blooded Amharas rather they were Amharic speaker laeders from other tribes most of the time mix with Oromo and Tigrean including Eritreans. Today in Ethiopia 60 to 75% of Ethiopians including me speak Amharic even though many of us are not from Amhara tribe. Why people like to see only our difference. Because our difference is not a significant factor or our difference is not a visible thing if we do not sppeak a word until we say I am from this or that tribe nobody would know from what tribe we are because our difference is not based on a skin color or other visible things. The Ethiopian people difference is only based on language plus since there is no a caste system in Ethiopia many people may not be what they claim if they think they are Amhara they may not be an Amhara or Oromo because their parents might have moved because of different reasons like marrage, tread, or other business related cases. Moving from place to place will diminish our language based difference especially today even the language difference has began to die out. It continues to exist only in few narrow minded tribal chiefs or lords like TPLF, OLF, Shibia and in few people's brain who are borne to think small things. By the way there is no difference among Tigreans and Eritreans they are the same people from the same background with similar culture and language and the same land. Their similarity can be compared with the Somalia land people and the other parts of Somalia people. They use to be under one adminstration before the Italians controlled Eritrea that was why they were killing each other on Badme land. Do you know that Esayas the todays Eritrean leader is from Tigrea and Meles the self appointed leader of Ethiopia and the butcher of Ethiopian people and the invader of Somalia is half Eritrean and half Tigrean. Remember also Meles does not represent the 70 millions of Ethiopians because he has massacred for the last 30 years especially for the last 15 years. Many Oromos, Aghiwak, Sidamas and other Ethiopians from different ethnic groups has been massacred and jailed. So he is not fighting the Islamic court for Ethiopia he is just fighting for himself and for the few he represents. Therefore please before you declare your crazy Jihad thing you need to know who you are fighting, my reason is I have heard that the Islamic court had declared Jihad on Ethiopia but you need to know one thing before your declaration of Jihad on Ethiopia Meles had already has declared his Jihad on the Ethiopian people for the last 15 years so do not waste your time by declaring your crazy Jihad. If I was you I would declare Jihad on Sudan Arabs to stopp the massacre of poor Darfur women and children instead of declaring Jihad on Ethiopia the mother of Bilal.

This the silliest argument anyone can immagine. The great danger for Ethiopian Christians & christianity is Meles & his regime not Islamic court of Somalia.

Excellent analysis.

bashir.....stop informing your stupid idea to the people. I'm Ethiopia myself TPLF so called meles zenawi crews have their own mission ( to stay in power). Somalia share the largest border with ethiopia, yes TPLF afraid the UIC due to their own interest conflict but not Ethiopia interest. 45 percent of Ethiopia itself are Muslims? Bashir truly u need to answer this question to your-self. This waging war is not Muslim vs Christian but it's TPLF idea to be that way just impress the western world. Again if Ethiopia get involved, what happened to the salient Muslim population that leaves in Ethiopia??? yes, Somali hates Ethiopia not because of their religion only but what Ethiopia did to Somalia for the last 16years again, and the Amharas technically and that is part of their gene which they can't help it I guess. Hey believe it or not my myself I don't support neither UIC or TFG (THE PUPPET GOVERNMENT OF MY COUNTRY) but that doesn't mean Ethiopia has right to go and crash UIC militias that is for Somali people to decide, in fact I believe what they have done is better then others such as the TFG or the warlord minister. one last question for bashir or the comment readers have anybody try to look the positive side of UIC? or Islamic word is bothering you......

Bashir Goth, you are a god damn lier and not even a good one at that.

And for you people that want to see the US support Ethiopian brutal dictator Meles Zenawi and his minority brutal regime, take comfort. They already are! The Saddam Hussien of the Horn of Africa is getting all the help he can get from the United States of America including money, weaponary, as well as deplomatic backing to invade Somalian soveirgn territory. remember it was the United states that caused that joke of a resolution 1725 which called for the deployment of foriegn AU troops in Somalia, while at the same time the US REJECTING to incluse a wording that demands the withdrawal of Ethiopian troops from Somali territory.

Just the other week general Abizaid was flew to Addis Ababa in a secret meeting with brutal dictator Meles Zenawi to go over stratechy in the war in Somalia against the Union of Islamic Courts and to lend America's unwaivering support.

Bur remember, the mercenary criminal warlords which the Americans backed and some of them which even took part in the killings of the 19 US special forces in Mogadishu were part of them i.e. Abdi Qeydiid (who was then Aydiid's 2nd man in comand)

As for the so called Somali Government, I can till you it is nothing but a JOKE! Most of them are Ethiopian puppets and rose to power getting ellected by CLAN ELDERS who've been paid off abd bribed to death in a foreign country by the Ethiopians, in an effort to indirectly control Somalia and its assets. They can't even count on the support of their OWN population and people they claim to govern, forget about raising a Somali army that is able to withstand against the Somali forces of the Union of Islamic Courts. Most of the TFG are former and current warlords INCLUDING THE SO CALLED PRESIDENT HIMSELF ABDULLAHI YUSSUF.

This is why the TFG will never EVER rule Somalia, and you will see. The Ethiopian army will be ressisted and bushed back and as long as the United states is supporting the Ethiopians the Union of Islamic Courts has EVERY RIGHT to call on foriegn aid and help form Muslims against the enemies of the Somalia.

The United States should really be careful here! what we have here is a super power that goes into panic mode everytime the word islam comes up, i would advice them to go to the ground, talk to the people on both sides of this mess here both the somali and ethiopian civilians who are the real victims.

fact:Meles zenawi is an evil-genious he uses the uninformed western powers to weaken,arrest,kill his oppositions internally and externally.

fact: even though the majority of somalis were against the islamic courts, within relative short period they have brought law and order in the somali capital that was missing for 15 years along the way gaining huge support.

the United States should not be depending on the intelligence analysis of men they know very little about. we all know what happened when they depended on the intelligence of Ahmed Chilabi in Iraq. and with Zenawi they are headed in the same direction, which is another mess, only this time not in the middle east but in the doorsteps of poverty in the horn of Africa.

I wonder.Goth is highly far sighted person.Wondeful historical observer and able to see the future.Thank you For giving the real image of UIC.
I want to tell you that those individuals from the countries giving logistic help to UIC are singing meanigless songs.You can identify them from their common expression.
Alwas they love to use the word minority in the wrong way.And they are from a Tiny tiny country/countries.Forget them.The worled will take care of the Somali problem soon.
I would like to say "US has to pay an attention to those who bitterly Bleming this country even though they live freely and luxurioly in this country."

I have just one question to the writer.Why is Islam and its sheria law suddenly become a problem for Somalia ? why it is Ok for the Saudis ,the sudanese ,the Iranians ,the arab gulf states and numerous others conutries?

Agree 100%. The cancer called Islamic extrimism must be rooted out as soon as possible beore it takes hold and consumes the region and beyond. Remeber the Taliban??

Well,-well well.. Mr Bashir Goth is a smart and educated man so do not attack him for telling us the truth.
In addition please let us try to talk the facts when we say things for example Mohamed Hussein from Mogadishu has said the Amhara people in ethiopia are
15% of the population that is a completely false because as an Ethiopian I know that the Amharas are over 33% of the population of Ethiopia, even though
I am not an Amhara I know who and what lives in my country. For instance from the 13 provinces of ethiopia the provinces of Gunder, Gojam and Wolo are
fully populated by Amhara ethnic people the remaining 9 provinces have the population from every trive except Tigrea. It is a known fact more than 3/4th
of Shuwa province and the majority of Addis Ababa residents are Amhara so why Mr Mogadishu man wants to tell us the false information, it is also a fact
that many other parts of Ethiopia provinces have many Amhara people so where did he get this Mohamed Hussein thing from Mogadishu his big lie. Mr Mogadishu
man has to learn history before he talks the false information he learned from OLF and Shabia that Amhara people were not the single ruling party in Ethiopia
most of the time even if we take as an example for the last 40 years starting from Meles if we go back we will find that many leaders were from other tribes
it does not mean if someone speaks Amharic the leader of Ethiopia is an Amhara for instance Meles is a Tigrean before him Mengistu was his mother's side
Amhara and his father's side Oromo, Mengistu himself has said this so I am not creating out of the blue. Before Mengistu the Ethiopian leader was a full
Oromo blooded man his name was General Teferi Bante, before him General Aman Michael Amindom from Eritrea. Plus before those above leaders I mentioned
so many past Ethiopian leaders were not always full blooded Amharas rather they were Amharic speaker laeders from other tribes most of the time mix with
Oromo and Tigrean including Eritreans. Today in Ethiopia 60 to 75% of Ethiopians including me speak Amharic even though many of us are not from Amhara
tribe. Why people like to see only our difference. Because our difference is not a significant factor or our difference is not a visible thing if we do
not sppeak a word until we say I am from this or that tribe nobody would know from what tribe we are because our difference is not based on a skin color
or other visible things. The Ethiopian people difference is only based on language plus since there is no a caste system in Ethiopia many people may not
be what they claim if they think they are Amhara they may not be an Amhara or Oromo because their parents might have moved because of different reasons
like marrage, tread, or other business related cases. Moving from place to place will diminish our language based difference especially today even the
language difference has began to die out. It continues to exist only in few narrow minded tribal chiefs or lords like TPLF, OLF, Shibia and in few people's
brain who are borne to think small things. By the way there is no difference among Tigreans and Eritreans they are the same people from the same background
with similar culture and language and the same land. Their similarity can be compared with the Somalia land people and the other parts of Somalia people.
They use to be under one adminstration before the Italians controlled Eritrea that was why they were killing each other on Badme land. Do you know that
Esayas the todays Eritrean leader is from Tigrea and Meles the self appointed leader of Ethiopia and the butcher of Ethiopian people and the invader of
Somalia is half Eritrean and half Tigrean. Remember also Meles does not represent the 70 millions of Ethiopians because he has massacred for the last 30
years especially for the last 15 years. Many Oromos, Aghiwak, Sidamas and other Ethiopians from different ethnic groups has been massacred and jailed.
So he is not fighting the Islamic court for Ethiopia he is just fighting for himself and for the few he represents. Therefore please before you declare
your crazy Jihad thing you need to know who you are fighting, my reason is I have heard that the Islamic court had declared Jihad on Ethiopia but you need
to know one thing before your declaration of Jihad on Ethiopia Meles had already has declared his Jihad on the Ethiopian people for the last 15 years so
do not waste your time by declaring your crazy Jihad. If I was you I would declare Jihad on Sudan Arabs to stopp the massacre of poor Darfur women and
children instead of declaring Jihad on Ethiopia the mother of Bilal.